What it is like being a sibling of a child newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes : an interview study

Although previous studies have stressed that having a brother or sister with a chronic condition may affect the healthy sibling, few have specifically focused on healthy siblings of children with type 1 diabetes. Hence, this study aimed to illuminate what it is like to be a brother or sister of a child newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Individual interviews were conducted with seven siblings aged 10–17 years(median=12)from six different families. Each interview was analysed using content analysis. Three different categories emerged – Living differently, Being concerned and Participating in caring for the affected child – indicating that, for the healthy sibling, the illness entails a transformed everyday life including worry about the affected child and the need to help in the home. In conclusion, the paediatric health care service may need to develop new strategies to meet the siblings’ desired level of knowledge in educational team sessions related to diabetes. As the sibling relationship is probably the longest one that an affected child will experience in her/his lifetime, it is worth investing in it to promote this long-term support resource. Eur Diabetes Nursing 2012; 9(3): 88–9